When the Philadelphia Phillies tapped Ryne Sandberg to replace Charlie Manuel, the former Chicago Cubs second baseman immediately shot to the top of one list of managerial rankings: Best playing career.

That's because none of the other 29 men now employed as a big-league skipper is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. A couple of others were MVPs and a handful were All-Stars. But most had marginal MLB careers and a few plateaued in the minors.

Sporting News presents our rankings of today's managers as players. We used Baseball Reference WAR (wins above replacement) as a guide but not as the final determinant.

Years played in MLB: 1987-2003, 1,866 games
Position: 3B
WAR: 46.5
Other stats: .268/.317/.489, 378 HR, 338 2B
Postseason: 214 plate appearances
Career highlights: Five All-Star selections, four Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers; second in NL All-Star balloting in 1994, third in 1999; led NL in RBIs in 1994 and homers in strike-shortened 1994; starter for 2001 World Series champion D-Backs, played in two other World Series.

5

of 30

Kirk Gibson, Arizona Diamonbacks

Years played in MLB: 1979-1995, 1,635 games
Position: OF
WAR: 38.2
Other stats: .268/.352/.463, 255 HR, 284 SB
Postseason: 92 plate appearances
Career highlights: 1988 NL MVP, 1984 ALCS MVP; one Silver Slugger; member of World Series-winning 1984 Detroit Tigers and 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers; also, he hit a World Series home you might have heard of.

6

of 30

Mike Scioscia, Los Angeles Angels

Years played in MLB: 1980-1992, 1,441 games
Position: C
WAR: 25.9
Other stats: .259/.344/.356, 68 HR
Postseason: 95 plate appearances
Career highlights: Two All-Star appearances; played for World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981 and 1988; finished 18th in NL MVP voting in 1985; appeared on "The Simpsons."

7

of 30

Bud Black, San Diego Padres

Years played in MLB: 1981-1995, 398 games pitched
Position: LHP
WAR: 21.1
Other stats: 121-116 W-L record, 3.84 ERA, 1.267 WHIP
Postseason: Six games pitched
Career highlights: Led AL in WHIP in 1984 as member of Kansas City Royals; pitched in 1985 World Series as member of winning Royals.

8

of 30

Walt Weiss, Colorado Rockies

Years played in MLB: 1987-2000, 1,496 games
Position: SS
WAR: 16.5
Other stats: .258/.351/.326, 25 HR, 96 SB
Postseason: 166 plate appearances
Career highlights: 1988 AL Rookie of the Year; 1998 NL All-Star; starting SS for 1989 World Series champion Oakland A's; played in three other World Series.

9

of 30

Brad Ausmus, Detroit Tigers

Years played in MLB: 1993-2010, 1,971 games
Position: C
WAR: 16.4
Other stats: .251/.325,.344, 80 HR, 102 SB
Postseason: 119 plate appearances
Career highlights: One All-Star appearance, three Gold Gloves, played in 2005 World Series with Houston Astros.

10

of 30

John Farrell, Boston Red Sox

Years played in MLB: 1987-1996, 116 games pitched
Position: RHP
WAR: 7.3
Other stats: 36-46 W-L record, 4.56 ERA, 1.406 WHIP
Career highlight: Ninth in complete games, seventh in shutouts in AL in 1989, when he was member of the Cleveland Indians.

11

of 30

Mike Redmond, Miami Marlins

Years played in MLB: 1998-2010, 764 games
Position: C
WAR: 6.4 WAR
Other stats: .287/.342/.358, 13 HR
Postseason: Two plate appearances
Career highlight: Member of 2003 World Series champion Florida Marlins.

12

of 30

Joe Girardi, New York Yankees

Years played in MLB: 1989-2003, 1,277 games
Position: C
WAR: 5.8
Other stats: .267/.315/.350, 36 HRs
Postseason: 127 plate appearances
Career highlight: 2000 NL All-Star; member of World Series champion New York Yankees in 1996, 1998 and 2000.

13

of 30

Mike Matheny, St. Louis Cardinals

Years played in MLB: 1994-2006, 1,305 games
Position: C
WAR: -0.4
Other stats: .239/.293/.344, 67 HR, 190 2B
Postseason: 88 plate appearances
Career highlights: Four Gold Gloves; led NL in caught stealing and fielding percentage twice, assists once; played in 2004 World Series as member of St. Louis Cardinals.

(Albert Dickson/Sporting News Archives)

14

of 30

Ron Roenicke, Milwaukee Brewers

Years played in MLB: 1981-88, 527 games
Position: OF
WAR: 3.0
Other stats: .238/.353/.338, 17 HR, 24 SB
Postseason: Two games, 0 plate appearances
Career highlight: Played in 1984 World Series as member of San Diego Padres; posted .408 on-base percentage for 1985 San Francisco Giants.

15

of 30

Clint Hurdle, Pittsburgh Pirates

Years played in MLB: 1977-1983, 1985-87, 515 games
Position: OF
WAR: 2.8
Other stats: .259/.341/.403, 32 HR
Postseason: 38 plate appearances
Career highlights: Hit .417 for Kansas City Royals in 1980 World Series.

16

of 30

Bob Melvin, Oakland A's

Years played in MLB: 1985-1994, 692 gamesPosition: CWAR: 2.5Other stats: .233/.268/.337, 35 HRPostseason: Eight plate appearancesCareer highlight: Hit .429 in three games of NLCS as member of the San Francisco Giants.

17

of 30

Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants

Years played in MLB: 1978-1980, 1982-87, 358 games
Position: C
WAR: 2.4
Other stats: .239/.298/.388, 26 HR
Postseason: Two plate appearances
Career highlight: Had a hit in 1984 World Series as member of San Diego Padres.

18

of 30

Ron Washington, Texas Rangers

Years played in MLB: 1977, 1981-1989, 564 games
Position: SS-2B
WAR: 1.2
Other stats: .261/.292/.368, 20 HR, 28 SB
Career highlight: Played 119 games for 1982 Minnesota Twins.

19

of 30

Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins

Years played in MLB: 1981-85, 285 games
Position: SS
WAR: 0.8
Other stats: .232/.277/.296, 4 HR, 13 SB
Career highlights: Seventh in NL in sacrifice hits in 1982 as a member of the New York Mets.

20

of 30

Lloyd McClendon, Seattle Mariners

Years played in MLB: 1987-1994, 570 games
Position: OF-1B
WAR: -0.4
Other stats: .244/.325/.381, 35 HR, 15 SB
Postseason: 23 plate appearances
Career highlights: Had a .625 postseason battng average with two doubles and a homer.

Years played in MLB: 1980-1985, 219 games
Position: C
WAR: -3.7
Other stats: .212/.237/.329, 16 HR
Postseason: One plate appearance
Career highlights: Drew a walk in Game 6 of the 1982 World Series as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers.

23

of 30

Bo Porter, Houston Astros

Years played in MLB: 1999-2001, 89 games
Position: OF
WAR: -0.6
Other stats: .214/.284/.333, 2 HR
Postseason: One plate appearance
Career highlights: Had a hit and RBI for the Oakland A's in the 2000 ALDS.

24

of 30

Rick Renteria, Chicago Cubs

Years played in MLB: 1986-88, 1993-94, 184 games
Position: 2B-3B
WAR: -0.5
Other stats: .237/.285/.322, 4 HR
Career highlights: Played 103 games for 1993 Florida Marlins

25

of 30

John Gibbons, Toronto Blue Jays

Years played in MLB: 1984-1985, 18 games
Position: C
WAR: 0.2
Other stats: .220/.316/.360, 1 HR